Where did geisha coffee originate, and how does Colombia taste?

The geisha variety became famous in Panama, but coffee originated from which country for this cultivar is Ethiopia: it comes from the Kaffa forests, where seeds were collected in 1931 and sent to Kenya the next year. Introduced to Colombia, different terroir shifted the profile, so La Esperanza Estate's washed lots show citrus, plum and bergamot acidity with cinnamon and caramel in the mid-palate.

The variety's spread ran through Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in 1936, Costa Rica in 1953, and Panama in the 1970s via Hacienda Don Pachi. La Esperanza is among the first Colombian farms to introduce and mass-produce geisha, and the article shares the roasting curve and a three-pour brewing method for its washed batches, which finish with an oolong tea-like note.

Although the Geisha variety made its name in Panama, its roots can be traced back to the primitive forests of Ethiopia. When this variety was introduced to Colombia, the differences in terroir gave it a completely different flavor profile. La Esperanza Estate, as one of the first farms in Colombia to introduce and successfully mass-produce Geisha, showcases in its washed batches a bright acidity of citrus, plum, and bergamot, with cinnamon and caramel notes emerging in the mid-palate, and an oolong tea-like finish. This article will outline the spread of Geisha, the cultivation background of La Esperanza Estate, and share Front Street Coffee's roasting curve and three-pour brewing method for this bean, helping coffee enthusiasts fully appreciate the unique charm of Colombian Geisha.

Coffee is essentially a crop, and its flavor and quality can change due to environmental conditions such as climate and soil. As the saying goes, "Oranges grown south of the Huai River are sweet oranges, while those grown north of it are bitter oranges." The genes of the same variety often express themselves differently in different producing regions. Front Street Coffee has conducted cupping comparisons of Geisha coffee beans from multiple countries in Central and South America. The results showed that, in addition to the variety's signature flavors, each producing region also presents its own distinct regional characteristics.

Take Panama Geisha as an example: in the cup, one can often detect white floral notes, citrus-like acidity, and a hint of honey-like finish; Geisha grown in Colombia leans toward floral and berry-like sweet-tart notes, with a caramel-like finish; while Costa Rican Geisha presents floral notes, citrus acidity, and an almond-like aftertaste.

Although Geisha became famous in Panama, its place of origin is not Panama. This variety originated in the Kaffa forests of Ethiopia. In 1931, a British person collected coffee seeds in the forest region of southwestern Ethiopia, and the following year sent these seeds to Kenya. In 1936, Geisha was introduced to Uganda and Tanzania; in 1953 it reached Costa Rica; and it was not until the 1970s that Mr. Francisco Serracín of Hacienda Don Pachi introduced Geisha to Panama from CATIE in Costa Rica and shared it with other estates for cultivation.

In 2003, Daniel, the third-generation owner of Hacienda La Esmeralda, discovered during cupping comparisons that one variety of coffee beans had a fascinating floral aroma and citrus-like acidity. Although this flavor was not in line with mainstream preferences at the time, Daniel insisted on entering this variety in competition, and two weeks before the 2004 BOP competition, he finalized the competition batch. Only then did Geisha formally enter the spotlight of the specialty coffee industry.

In subsequent BOP competitions, the Geisha variety became almost invincible. In 2007, a person in charge of Colombia's La Esperanza Estate introduced the Geisha variety from Hacienda La Esmeralda. However, constrained by climate and soil conditions, Geisha's path to taking root in Colombia was not smooth. La Esperanza Estate did not retreat because of this. After four years of careful cultivation, it finally harvested its first batch of Colombian Geisha in 2011 and in April of the same year won first place in the "Coffee of the Year" (COTY) competition held by the Specialty Coffee Association of America.

After more than a decade of development, today in Colombia, besides La Esperanza Estate, other estates have also successfully cultivated and produced Geisha coffee beans on a certain scale, but La Esperanza Estate remains the largest producer of Geisha in the country.

Unlike other coffee estates, La Esperanza Estate, located in Colombia's Huila Department, does not belong to a single person or family, but is a cooperative formed by several coffee farmers who collectively sell under the name "La Esperanza." The estate has four farms under it: Esperanza, Las Margaritas, Cerro Azul, and Potosi. The estate has always insisted on hand-picking fully ripe cherries. The coffee farmers value a good growing environment and strictly control green bean quality.

Front Street Coffee has also acquired washed Geisha coffee beans from La Esperanza Estate. The roaster found that this batch of green beans was a beautiful blue-green color and smelled of distinctly fermented fruit and orange aromas. In order to preserve Geisha's floral and fruity acidity, a light roast was ultimately adopted.

The specific roasting process is as follows: charge when the drum temperature rises to 160°C, set the airflow to 3, and after 30 seconds adjust the heat to 140 while keeping the airflow unchanged; the turning point appears at 1 minute 42 seconds. When the drum temperature is 140°C, lower the heat to 120 and open the airflow to 4; at this point the bean surface turns yellow, the grassy smell completely dissipates, and the dehydration stage begins; when the drum temperature reaches 166°C, lower the heat again to 110 and leave the airflow unchanged; at 7 minutes 50 seconds, wrinkles and dark streaks appear on the bean surface, and the toasted bread aroma clearly turns into coffee aroma, which can be regarded as the prelude to first crack. At this time, one must carefully distinguish the sound of first crack; first crack begins at 8 minutes 15 seconds, lower the heat to 50, and adjust the airflow to 5 (adjusting the heat must be done with extra caution, and it must not be so low that there is no cracking sound); develop for 1 minute 28 seconds after first crack, and drop at 190°C.

In order for customers to better experience the charm of freshly roasted coffee beans, Front Street Coffee ships coffee beans ordered on Taobao within five days after roasting is completed. When brewing light-roasted coffee beans, Front Street Coffee recommends a grind size similar to fine granulated sugar (80% passing through a Chinese No. 20 standard sieve) and a water temperature of 90-92°C for extraction.

Front Street Coffee recommends a brewing ratio of 1:15, using a three-pour technique: start the timer, pour for the first time to 30g, and let it bloom for 30 seconds; then in the second pour, use a slow circular pour to 125g, wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops by half before continuing to pour, then use a slow circular pour to 225g, and after all dripping is complete, keep the total extraction time at around 2 minutes 00 seconds to 2 minutes 10 seconds.

The brewed flavor of the washed Geisha coffee beans from Colombia's La Esperanza Estate: the front end presents the acidity of citrus, plum, and bergamot, the mid-palate carries cinnamon and caramel flavors, and the finish has an obvious oolong tea sensation.

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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.